ENFORCER: Lost and Found in Chicago

June 16, 2009

I’ll admit it, the demo queue is very, very long around here—I’m always glad to knock one off the stack when a high-quality reissue comes along. Considering the abundance of metal bands named Enforcer these days (nine at last count), this high-quality mid-80s Chicago band is never more than one blink of mistaken identity away from my mind.

Turns out I’m not the only one, as Stormspell Records has dressed up the 1984 demo by Enforcer [IL] with a befitting new cover, a truck of rehearsal cuts, and a bonus DVD. That’s a great idea, considering how this well this classed-up warhorse of a band fits with newcomers like The Gates of Slumber and old favorites like Count Raven. They don’t make rolling drums, tremolo dives, and dramatic vocals like this anymore—though more and more seem willing to try.